


Avatar: The Quirkless Airbender- Book One: Water

by nerdy_bread_collaborative



Series: Avatar: The Quirkless Airbender [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Avatar/BNHA crossover, Avatar: The Last Airbender References, F/M, Gen, Inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender, Inspired by Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Quirks (My Hero Academia), Tags May Change, i've taken artistic liberties here, iida and uraraka are siblings, it might take a while to update i'm sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:42:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24792553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdy_bread_collaborative/pseuds/nerdy_bread_collaborative
Summary: In a world where quirks and bending abilities rule, the ruthless Fire Nation has locked the rest of the world in a war that has lasted 100 years. The Avatar, master of all four elements, is the only thing that can restore peace. But the Avatar has not been seen since before the war, and some are losing hope. Join Tenya and Ochako and they discover something that could change the fate of the world, and themselves, forever.*Avatar: The Last Airbender AU*
Relationships: Iida Tenya & Midoriya Izuku, Iida Tenya & Midoriya Izuku & Uraraka Ochako, Iida Tenya & Uraraka Ochako, Midoriya Izuku/Uraraka Ochako, Takami Keigo | Hawks & Todoroki Shouto
Series: Avatar: The Quirkless Airbender [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1793236
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter One: The Boy In The Iceberg

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! I've been binge-watching A:TLA on Netflix, and I was so excited about this 2am crossover idea I decided to try my hand at writing it! I don't know if anyone else has done this before, but this is my own idea, with credits to the original creators of BNHA and A:TLA. (Horikoshi Kohei and Michael Dante DiMartino/Bryan Konietzko)
> 
> Shoutout to a friend of mine and caffeinated tea, the only two things that separated this being a thing from a silly idea in passing.
> 
> I tried to keep it as close to the storyline as possible, with changes in dialogue or scenes based on the addition of quirks to the universe (yeah, I added quirks!) or character dispositions. Also, I used first names so it would hopefully be a bit less confusing. And I kept Gran-Gran as herself, since I have no idea what character could replace her. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy, and bear with me for any mistakes I may have made :)

_Water. Earth. Fire. Air._

_My grandmother used to tell me stories of the old days. A time of peace, when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads._

_The world changed with the discovery of quirks._

_The first person to have a quirk was born in the fire nation: a small boy with the ability to light up his entire body. He ushered in a new period of humanity that had the combination of quirks and bending abilities. For a long time, there was peace in this era of quirks. Soon, almost 80% of the population had some form of quirk, but there was still a minority in people who were benders. Some people had both a quirk and bending abilities, while some had just one, and others had neither. Eventually, tension and discrimination swept the world. Quirks and abilities could dictate a person’s standing in life before they were barely old enough to talk._

_And then, everything changed when the fire nation attacked._

_Only the Avatar was the master of all four elements. Only he could stop the ruthless firebenders. But when the world needed him most?_

_He vanished._

_A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the fire nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe._

_Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and that the cycle is broken. But I haven’t lost hope._

_I still believe that somehow, the Avatar will return to save the world._

* * *

“It’s not getting away from me this time. Watch and learn please, Ochako. This is how you catch a fish.”

Skeptically looking away from her brother, Ochako gazed into the deep blue waters below their canoe. She could vaguely make out the shape of something moving under the surface, a fish, perhaps? Removing her gloves, Ochako kept her eyes trained on the water, and with a deep breath raised a bubble of water into the air. “Tenya, look!”

“Quiet, if you will, Ochako. You’re going to scare it away.”

“But Tenya! I caught one!” She moved the water toward her brother, intent on showing him that she had, in fact, caught one. As Tenya raised his spear, he hit the water with a jolt, sending the fish cascading back into the ocean, and its watery prison dumping onto him.

“Why must it be that every time you play with magic water, I get soaked?” Tenya snapped with a scowl, removing his own gloves.

Ochako scoffed. “It’s not magic. It’s waterbending. You know that, Tenya. And it’s-”

“An ancient art, unique to our culture. I understand that, you’ve said it many different times.” Squeezing out the last of the water from his mittens, he returned them to his hands. “Look, I know it’s different from our quirks, but I think you should refrain from using your weird powers.”

“You’re calling _me_ weird? Tell that to the engines in your legs.” She motioned toward his calves, where small metal cylinders protruded from the muscles. With a glower, Tenya turned back to his sister intent on berating her for-

The siblings jumped as their canoe was thrown bodily into a chunk of ice. Assessing their surroundings, they realized with a start they were quickly approaching a frozen rapid. Grabbing their oars, the two set to maneuvering the canoe away from the ice chunks littering the water.

“Watch out!”

“I’m trying, Ochako, but please calm down!”

“Go left, go left!” With a yell, the two were thrown out of their canoe and onto a nearby block of ice. Beneath them, their vessel was loudly smashed to splinters.

With a grunt, Ochako looked up at Tenya. “You call that going left?”

“If you think you’re so smart, maybe you should have _waterbended_ us out of the ice.”

“So, it’s my fault?!”

“I knew you should have stayed at home with the other girls,” Tenya shrugged with a glare. “Leave it to you to screw things up.”

Incredulously, Ochako glared back. “You are the most sexist, immature, nut-brained…augh! I’m embarrassed to be related to you!” She flung her arms down angrily.

With a tentative gaze up at her, he pointed to a large fissure on the ice behind them she had made in her anger. “Um-”

“Ever since mom died, I’ve been doing _all_ the work around camp while you’ve been off playing soldier!”

“Uh, Ochako?”

“No! Let me finish! I do everything! I even wash all the clothes! I _hate_ washing clothes!” Another sweep of her arms led to more cracks erupting along the side of the iceberg, much to Tenya’s dismay.

“Please settle down, Ochako, I-”

“No! That’s it, I’m done helping you. From here on out, you’re on your OWN!” A huge wave of water exploded from below them, nearly encompassing the huge iceberg. With a gasp, Ochako finally looked behind her. To her horror, cracks had webbed the ice completely, and with a final clash, the huge ice broke apart, sending a wave bearing down on the siblings.

Miraculously, the two managed to stay afloat on the ice until the waves subsided. “Ochako, you’ve gone from weird to completely bizarre. I think that was too far.”

“You mean I did that?”

“Yes. Congratulations.” Tenya rolled his eyes.

Suddenly, the water under them began to bubble and glow a bright, alluring blue. With a resounding splash, a huge piece of ice began to rise from the turbulent waters. Backing away, the two realized the glow seemed to be emitting from the ice itself. Stepping forward, Ochako investigated the ice, and saw what appeared to be a body. Its legs were crossed, and on the bald head a large arrow showed. The figure’s arms also appeared to have arrows imprinted on them. As if spurred on by her observations, the figure opened its eyes to reveal glowing orbs that could be seen clearly even through the iceberg. With a surprised gasp, Ochako and Tenya stepped back. “It’s alive! We have to help!” The girl reached into the pack on Tenya’s back long enough to grab a small club, then ran towards the figure.

“Ochako, return here this instant! We don’t know what that thing is!” Chopping his hands up and down, he began to realize his sister would not listen to his words. Sighing, he grabbed his spear and, activating his engines, sped towards her.

Ochako began to hack at the ice with her weapon. It didn’t seem to be doing much, but before Tenya could advise her to stop, she broke a crack into the ice, sending a massive gush of wind toward them. Cracks began to erupt, and it took merely seconds for the ice to split apart and fall away. A bright light erupted from the center, sending a dazzling beam up into the sky.

_Wow,_ Ochako thought, her mouth open in shock. _That beam could probably be seen for miles._

* * *

“Right there! I bet that beam can be seen for miles!”

Standing on the deck of a large metal ship, a figure stood, gazing at the light. He looked to be of average height, with red and white hair pulled into a ponytail near the back of his head. Arching eyebrows accentuated his heterochromatic eyes: one blue, and one grey. The man’s most noticeable feature, however, was the red scar that ran across the entire left side of his face. Turning to his companion, he spoke with vigor. “Hawks, do you know what this means?”

“I won’t get to finish my game?” The man called Hawks was sitting down, his massive crimson wings tucked neatly onto his back. His blonde hair was halfway to grey, but still swept back and taken care of. His beard was much the same. He had a free-spirited air to him, as if all his years never chained him down to Earth. Presently, the man was sitting a small table, with a steaming cup of tea and a game of Pai Sho spread before him.

“It means my search, it’s about to come to an end.” The first man turned to face Hawks, who picked up a tile in front of him with a sigh. “That light came from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him!”

“Or it’s just the celestial lights,” Hawks argued as the other turned around. “We’ve been down this road before, Prince Shouto. I don’t want you to get so excited over nothing. Now, why don’t you sit down, kid? You can have a nice cup of some calming jasmine tea.”

“I don’t _need_ any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar!” Prince Shouto yelled, whipping around towards Hawks once more. Abruptly, he directed his attention to the crew near the back of the ship. “Helmsmen, head a course for the light!”

* * *

Tenya and Ochako caught their breath and glanced at each other as the wind from the iceberg subsided. Making their way to their feet, they gazed at the ice, which was still glowing a phosphorescent blue. Atop the precipice of ice, the figure climbed out of its icy prison, eyes still illuminated.

“Stop!” Tenya yelled, brandishing his spear at the unidentified figure. He pushed Ochako behind his back as she clung to him fearfully. The person above them was able to drag themselves up to a standing position, teetering precariously. As if a switch was flipped, the glow vanished from the body and it crumpled toward the ground.

With an “Oh!” Ochako rushed forward and caught the figure before they could hit the ground. Lowering her arms, she set what seemed to be a young boy on the ground softly. Approaching cautiously, Tenya poked the boy’s head with the end of his spear. “Tenya, stop!”

Before the two could dissolve into bickering once more, a groan came from the boy. The two quieted and looked over in time to see him open his eyes. They were… extraordinarily green, like two small emeralds set into his face. He also sported a smattering of freckles across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. He looked to be about 12 years old, and the only thing abnormal about him was the arrows that adorned his body. With a croak, he looked up into the eyes of Ochako, who had moved to stand over him “I need to ask you something…”

“What? Are you okay?”

“Please, come closer.”

She leaned over the boy with concern, fearing he was hurt. “What is it?”

“Will…you go penguin sledding with me?”

She stepped back in shock. “Uh, sure! I- guess.”

The boy sent her a small, excited smile in return, then seemed to levitate himself off the ground to a standing position with a _whoosh_. Tenya yelped and stuck his spear out again. “What’s going on here?” the boy asked.

“You tell us,” retorted Tenya, yelling at the boy in front of him. “How did you get into the ice? And why aren’t you frozen?”

“I’m not sure.”

Abruptly, a low growling noise came from inside the iceberg. With a gasp, the ice boy scrambled up the side of the wall and dropped into the cavern below. He ran towards a large pile of what appeared to be furs.

“Appa! Are you alright? Wake up, buddy.” The boy reached down to what now became apparent was the face of an animal. After trying to push up it’s eyelids to no avail, he slid down towards the ground and used his body to push up on the animal’s snout. With a growl, the large creature opened its mouth to give the boy a hearty lick. “You’re okay!”

Ochako and Tenya both stopped short as they rounded the corner. They took in the sight of the giant mammal, with its six legs, large, beaver-like tail, massive horns, and an arrow of fur on its head that closely resembled the human’s. Tenya was the first one to speak. “What _is_ that thing??”

“This is Appa,” the boy stated. “My flying bison.”

Tenya rolled his eyes before responding, “Right. And this is Ochako, my flying sister.”

Appa began to snarl, and with no more than a “Look out!” from the boy, the bison sneezed, spewing green mucus all over Tenya and the ice. With a cry of anguish, Tenya fell to the ground and began rubbing himself in the snow, desperate to rid himself of the snot on his clothes. “This is disgustingly vile behavior, and I-”

“Don’t worry,” responded the boy. “It’ll wash out.”

Another disgusted exclamation was all the answer he got.

“So, do you guys live around here?”

“Don’t answer that.” Tenya advised Ochako, standing up and brushing the snow off of his clothes. “Did you see that crazy bolt of light? He was probably trying to signal the Fire Navy!”

“Oh yeah, I’m sure he’s a spy for the Fire Navy. You can tell by that evil look in his eye.” Ochako motioned toward the boy, obvious sarcasm laced in her voice. “The paranoid one is my brother, Tenya. You never told us your name.”

“I’m I-h, ih-, ah-, ah-CHOO!” Before the boy could finish the sentence his sneezed and was lifted far up into the sky with a gust of wind. As he returned to the ground, he finished. “I’m Izuku!”

Both siblings looked back at him in shock. “You just sneezed…and flew ten feet into the air!”

“Really? It felt higher than that.”

Ochako gasped. “Oh! You’re an airbender!”

“Sure am!” Izuku replied.

Tenya interrupted with, “Giant light beams, flying bison, airbenders- I think I’ve got Midnight Sun madness. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll be going home to where stuff makes sense.”

His return, however, was quickly postponed with the realization that the canoe- his transportation home- was currently sitting as shrapnel somewhere at the bottom of the water.

“Well, if you guys are stuck, Appa and I could give you a lift.” The young boy motioned towards the bison. With a few leaps and the help of the wind, he jumped onto the back of the bison, where a large saddle was nestled comfortably.

“We’d love a ride!” Ochako exclaimed, running toward Appa. “Thanks!”

“Oh no,” Tenya countered. “There will be no way I am getting on that fluffy snot monster.”

As Izuku helped her onto Appa’s back, Ochako shouted down to her brother, “Are you hoping some other kind of monster will come along and give you a ride home? You know, before you freeze to death?”

“I-” Tenya began, before sighing in defeat and begrudgingly making his way toward the others. His displeasure never left his face, even after he was situated on the back of the bison.

Ochako, however, looked overjoyed, and it was to her that Izuku spoke next. “Okay, first time flyers! Hold on tight!” He grasped the reigns tied around the bison’s wings, and then yelled, “Appa, yip yip!”

With a loud growl, the bison beat his tail against the ice before leaping up into the sky. Their airtime was short, however, as Appa spread all six legs out and flopped into the water. Izuku flicked the reins again. “Come on Appa, yip yip!”

“Wow,” Tenya drawled, unperturbed by the glare Ochako sent him. “That was truly amazing.”

“Appa’s only tired. A little rest and he’ll be soaring through the sky! You’ll see.” He smiled back at the siblings, making eye contact with Ochako.

Confused, she asked, “Uh, why are you smiling at me like that?”

“Oh, I was smiling?”

“Augh.” Tenya helpfully supplied.

The group made their way back through the icy waters, Appa’s tail swishing heavily behind them.

* * *

“I’m going to bed now.” Hawks regarded his nephew for a moment, before yawning loudly. “Yep, a man needs his rest.”

The two were standing on the highest point of the ship, the prince looking out over the cold landscape. Hawks stared pointedly at the other man for a moment before prodding further, “Prince Shouto, you need some sleep. Even if you are right, and the Avatar _is_ alive, you won’t find him.”

The prince turned around as his uncle continued, “Your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all tried and failed.”

Shouto interrupted. “Because their honor didn’t hinge on the Avatar’s capture. Mine does. This coward’s hundred years in hiding? They’re over.” They lapsed into silence once more, the uncle regarding his nephew with a mix of bittersweet pride and overwhelming sympathy.

Still, the ship continued on.

* * *

Bored of staring at the seemingly endless ocean, Ochako looked over the side of the saddle to see Izuku resting on Appa’s neck, legs extended and arms behind his head. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he replied. “What are you thinking about?”

"I guess I was wondering, you being an airbender and all… if you had any idea of what happened to the Avatar.”

Izuku sat up slowly. “Uh…no. I didn’t know him. I-I mean, I knew people that knew him. Vaguely, and some better than others. But no, I never did. Sorry.”

“Okay. Just curious. Good night!”

“Sleep tight.” Izuku sat back again muttering to himself. Before long, Appa’s slow and consistent rocking lulled the young man into sleep, many thought swirling in his head.

* * *

**_Crash!_**

Izuku woke with a start, sitting up and looking around. Orange-grey clouds dominated the sky, lightning sparking against the horizon. Rain pounded down and Izuku gripped Appa’s reins with white-knuckled strength, steering him away from the water that threatened to overtake them. Try as he might, he couldn’t keep himself and Appa above the giant, turbulent waves erupting across the ocean. With a smash, Izuku and Appa were pushed bodily underneath the water. Knocked unconscious, the two sank further into the depths.

With a sudden and bright glow, Izuku’s eyes and the arrows on his body were lit up. With a great amount of strength, he was able to create a glowing, protective ball of ice around himself and Appa. The bright light pierced through the stormy waters and solidified enough to protect they boy and his bison. The waves kept coming, pounding against the ice, he was going to break, they were going to die here, alone and pitiful…

“Izuku. Izuku, wake up!”

With a gasp, Izuku shot straight up, looking around himself in fear. Blinking sleep out of his eyes, he registered a form kneeling over him. A few more blinks revealed it to be Ochako. Looking around, he saw the inside of a small tan tent. He was laying on a makeshift cot, and his clothes were sitting next to him. Ochako spoke again, drawing his attention back to her. “It’s okay, Izuku. We’re in the village now. Get ready and come out when you’re done, everyone’s waiting to meet you. And are you alright?”

“Of course,” he replied, beginning to gather his clothes, the dark flush of embarrassment obvious on his cheeks. “W-why wouldn’t I be?”

“You were mumbling. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t need anything.”

"O-oh, I’m fine. It’s, uh, it’s a habit of mine, but sorry if it bothered you!”

“You’re fine,” Ochako said with a giggle, ducking out of the tent.

As soon as he was ready, Ochako dragged a flailing Izuku out of the tent, cheeks still flushed. She guided him to the center of what seemed to be their homes where a sizable crowd was gathered. “Izuku, this is the entire village!” Upon closer inspection, there only seemed to be about 20-odd people standing before him, all of whom were women and children. “Entire village, this is Izuku!”

As a sign of respect Izuku took his staff in hand and bowed toward the people. They seemed to shrink back in fear at his display. Confused, he looked up at Ochako “Uh, why are they all looking at me like that? Did Appa sneeze on me?”

As he finished talking, an older woman approached them, a hard-set jaw and inquisitive eyes distinguishing her from the rest. “Well, no one has seen an airbender in a hundred years. We thought they were extinct. Until my granddaughter and grandson found you.” 

Izuku started. “Extinct?”

“Izuku,” Ochako said kindly, “this is my grandmother.”

“Call me Gran-Gran.”

Tenya came stalking over to them, posture straight and an air of formality present that did not exist the last time Izuku talked to him. He grabbed the pole from Izuku’s hands. “What might this be? A weapon? You cannot stab anything with this!”

Grabbing it back, Izuku explained, “It’s not for stabbing, it’s for airbending!” Tapping the pole on the ground, supports shot out the sides to reveal a what seemed to be a sort of kite, with bright red fabric arched over the beams.

Giggles erupted from the gaggle of kids still present. One of them shouted “Magic trick, do it again!”

“It’s not magic, it’s airbending!” Izuku replied. “It lets me control the air currents around my glider, and as a result I can fly.”

Tenya crossed his arms. “You know, last time I checked, humans can’t _fly_.”

“Check again.” Reaching around, he pulled the glider so it faced his back. With a crouch he leapt into the air, using his airbending to control the direction his body went. Gasps and cheers could be heard from the crowd below as Izuku used his glider to float around above them. Smiling down at the crowd, he caught Ochako’s eye. She was beaming, and he was about to call out to her when-

**Wham!** Izuku collided with the tallest structure in the village in his moment of distraction. Struggling, he managed to push himself out of the densely packed snow, falling to the ground with a tumble.

Ochako ran to help the boy, while Tenya stood in shock as he pushed out, “Oh! My watchtower…”

“That was amazing!” Ochako uttered in awe as she reached out a hand for Izuku. Grabbing it, he pulled himself and his glider off the ground. Tapping it once again, the wings contracted into themselves and Izuku was holding a staff once more. Tenya rushed past, intent on checking the damage that was done to his tower. As he smoothed a hand over the base, a chunk of snow came crashing down on top of him.

“Great. You’re an airbender, Ochako’s a waterbender. Together you can just waste time all day long.” Pushing himself out of the snow in anger, Tenya runs off.

“You’re a waterbender!” Izuku exclaims, glee evident in his face.

“Well, sort of,” Ochako said, shrugging her shoulders lightly. “Not yet.”

“All right, no more playing.” Gran-Gran’s authoritative voice rang through the area. “Come on, Ochako, you have chores.”

As they walked away, Ochako whispered to her, “I told you, he’s the real thing Gran-Gran! I finally found a bender to teach me!”

“Ochako,” she warned, stern brow creased. “Try not to put all of your hope in this boy.”

“But he’s special. I can tell! I sense he’s filled with much wisdom.” She looked over to where Izuku was standing, a crowd of kids ringing him. His tongue was stuck to his staff while the children around him giggled and pointed.

“Sure, Ochako” her grandmother laughed softly. “Whatever you say.”

* * *

The setting Sun cast slanted shadows onto the dark ship, where a group of people were standing in fighting stances. To their right, the eldest sat, giving orders.

“Again!” Hawks motioned for them to repeat the exercise.

With a cry, Shouto flipped over the men, sending fire shooting their way in a practiced motion. The two opponents dodged his attacks, but he just kept going, a gritty, determined look on his face.

With a huff, Hawks stood. “No! Power and firebending come from the breath.” He raised his arms near his chest for emphasis. “Not the muscles. The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes _fire!_ ” With a jab, the man sent a small, controlled jet of fire from his fist. Stepping back, he ordered, “Get it right this time, alright, kid?”

“Enough.” Instead of obeying his uncles’ demands, he stepped closer in rage. “I’ve been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set. I’m more than ready.”

“No, you’re impatient. You have yet to master your basics. Drill it again!” Hawks’ calm demeanor cracked in his anger, almost imperceptibly, before being composed once more. His feathers fluttered minutely as he rearranged his wings.

“Augh!” Angrily, Shouto kicked out towards his opponents once more, knocking one down due to the abruptness of his attack. “The sages tell us that the Avatar is the last airbender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He’s had a century to master the four elements. I’ll need more than basic firebending to defeat him! You _will_ teach me the advance set!”

“Very well. But first, I must finish my roast chicken.” Reaching beside him, he pulled out a bowl filled to the brim and started to eat with his chopsticks, munching happily. Shouto drew back in equal parts shock and anger. Hawks ignored him and continued to eat the chicken.

* * *

“Now, men, it’s important that you show no fear when you face a firebender. In the water tribe, we fight until the last man’s standing.” Holding his club up, Tenya continued. “For without courage, how can we call ourselves men?”

The men in question were hardly toddlers, situated on the ground and blinking up uncomprehendingly at Tenya. One of them raised his hand “Um, I gotta pee.”

“Listen,” Tenya exclaimed. “Until your fathers return from the war, they’re counting on you to be the men of this tribe! And that means no potty breaks!”

“But I really gotta go.”

Tenya sighed, hanging his head in defeat. “Okay, who else has to go?”

Every boy raised his hand.

As Tenya shepherded the boys towards the houses with a flat hand, Ochako ran up to him. “Have you seen Izuku, Tenya? Gran-Gran said he disappeared over an hour ago!”

As if summoned, the two saw Izuku wriggle his way out of a small hole in one of the houses. “Wow, everything freezes in there!” The children gathered around him laughed and chortled.

“Ugh! Ochako, get him out of here. This lesson is for warriors only.” Tenya threw the words over his shoulder and moved to walk away.

A “Whee!” prompted him to turn back around, and he saw the boys distracted by the airbender. They Appa’s tail as a slide and wiggled in the snowdrifts below, giggling merrily. Ochako laughed along with them.

Tenya ran toward them quickly, using his engines to help him get there faster. “Stop, stop it right now! What’s wrong with you? We don’t have time for fun and games with a _war_ going on!”

Ochako made it over the top of the snowbank, releasing her hands and falling with a small _humpf._

“What war?” Izuku questioned, sliding off Appa’s back and using the air to slow his fall. “What are you talking about?”

“You’re kidding, right?” Ochako and Tenya looked at him in disbelief.

Izuku wasn’t looking at them any longer, however. “Penguin!”

The sibling whipped around. There was, in fact, a penguin standing there, with his four arms, sleepy eyes, and long whiskers. It jumped a bit at Izuku’s yell and proceeded to waddle off the other way. With a speed that rivaled Tenya’s own, Izuku used his airbending to follow the penguin down the side of the hill.

Tenya looked at Ochako skeptically. “He’s kidding, right?”

* * *

“Izuku!”

“Ha, ha! Come on, little guy!” Izuku was down in the valley with the penguins, happily chasing after them as they waddled away. Ochako had brought him to the penguin’s colony so she could teach him to ride a penguin as promised, but the look of glee on his face was almost too good to interrupt.

Ochako walked over to where he was sitting in the snow, now quietly observing the animals. He jumped up when he saw her, however, and exclaimed, “I have a way with animals. Yack, yack, yack!”

Ochako laughed into her palm. “Izuku. I’ll help you catch a penguin if you teach me waterbending.”

“You’ve got a deal.” Izuku focused his attention on her once more. “Just one small problem. I’m an airbender, not a waterbender. Isn’t there someone in your tribe who can teach you?”

“No,” Ochako turned away from him sadly. “You’re looking at the only waterbender in the whole South Pole.”

“This isn’t right. A waterbender needs to master water.” Izuku though for a moment, then brightened. “What about the North Pole? There’s another water tribe up there, right? Maybe they have a waterbender that could teach you.”

“Maybe, but we haven’t had contact with our sister tribe in a long time. It’s not exactly ‘turn right at the second glacier.’ It’s on the other side of the world!”

“But you forget I have a flying bison. Appa and I could personally fly you to the North Pole! Ochako, we’re gonna find you a master!”

She gasped. “That’s-I mean…I don’t know. I’ve never really left home before.” She felt dizzy just thinking about it.

Izuku patted her on the shoulder. “Well, you think about it. Bout in the meantime, can you teach me to catch one of these penguins?”

“Okay,” Ochako acquiesced with a smile. “Listen closely, my young pupil. Catching penguins is an ancient and sacred art. Observe.” She drew a fish out of her coat and threw it to Izuku. The reaction was instantaneous: penguins began to flock to him in droves. He laughed as he was quickly overwhelmed by squawking penguins. Ochako looking on warmly.

* * *

The afternoon was bright and crisp in its coldness, perfect weather for being outside. A peaceful landscape spread as far as the eye could see, unmarred and preserved, until…

“Woo!” Izuku and Ochako came careening over the cliff, both sitting on a penguin. Their screams and whoops echoed through the air as the penguins skidded on the packed snow and ice. “I haven’t done this since I was a kid!” Ochako yelled in jubilation, loud enough to hear over the wind rushing past their ears.

“You still are a kid!” Izuku shot back as they rounded a corner.

They made their way through a huge, crystalline ice structure, their penguins picking up speed on the low-friction ice. Careening along, they shot out of the caves and came to a slow stop on a vast open plain.

Dismounting their penguins, they walked toward the only thing looking out of place in the landscape. “Whoa.” Izuku muttered as they looked up in astonishment. “What is that?”

“A Fire Navy ship.” Ochako replied. Above them, a huge wreck was crushed in the ice. The giant black ship looked old and was obviously severely damaged, but the Fire Nation flag atop its sails still flew, if quite tattered. “And a very bad memory for my people.”

Izuku started to walk closer to the ship. “Izuku, stop,” Ochako said, worry in her voice. “We’re not allowed to go near it. The ship could be booby-trapped.”

Izuku didn’t heed her warnings, instead replying, “If you want to be a bender, you have to let go a fear.”

Apprehension was stark on her face, but after some deliberation, she made her way towards the ship.

The two carefully picked their way toward the ship and into the damaged hull. The inside was dark and dingy; it was obvious that no one had been there for years. The walls creaked around them, and each step was carefully placed by the pair. They came to a room full of weapons, and Izuku ventured inside, raking across the frozen metal with his eyes.

Ochako broke the silence. “This ship has haunted my tribe since Gran-Gran was a little girl. It was part of the Fire Nation’s first attacks.”

Wide-eyed, Izuku stopped her. “Okay, back up. I have friends all over the world, even in the Fire Nation. I’ve never seen _any_ war.”

“Izuku, how long were you in that iceberg?”

“I don’t know…a few days, maybe?”

“I think it was more like…a hundred years!”

He turned back to her, unconvinced. “What? That’s impossible. Do I look like a 112-year old man to you?”

“Think about it,” Ochako urged. “The war is a century old. You don’t know about it, because somehow you were in there that whole time. It’s the only explanation.”

Izuku sat down shock written all over his face. “A hundred years. I can’t believe it.”

“I’m sorry, Izuku. Maybe somehow, there’s a bright side to all of this.”

“I did get to meet you.” he reasoned.

With a smile, Ochako stuck out her hand. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

* * *

“Izuku? Let’s head back. This place is creepy.”

“Huh?” Izuku looked down at his foot which now seemed to be tangled in some sort of…twine?

With a **slam!** the gate behind them closed and, try as they might, wouldn’t budge. “What’s that you said about booby traps?” Around them, gears started to turn, levels were pulled and then: WHOOSH! The sky erupted in light as a missile launched into the air, whistling loudly.

Desperately looking for a way to escape, Izuku spotted a hole in the ceiling they could use. Grabbing onto Ochako, he warned, “Hold on tight!” before a gust of wind shot them up and out of the boat. He was able to float them both safely to the ground, and they both made their way out of the wreckage unharmed, if a bit shaken.

"Let's go back to the village before anything else happens." Ochako urged, pulling Izuku along.

"It's fine, Ochako! It's not like anyone could've seen it."

* * *

He lowered the spyglass momentarily, before bringing it back up to his undamaged eye. Through it, he could see two figures: one carrying another off the side of an abandoned Fire Navy ship. Said figure had lit off the signal flare, whether or not intentionally he did not yet know.

He was also very obviously controlling the air currents around him.

“The last airbender. Quite agile for his old age.” He looked up at his crew. “Wake my uncle!” he shouted to his attendants. “Tell him I found the Avatar.”

He followed the course the Avatar and his companion were taking, alighting finally on a small dwelling, perhaps of a tribe? They were nearing the South Pole, so it must be... the Southern Water Tribe. Bingo. “As well as his hiding place.”

He would catch the Avatar. And then? His glory would be restored, he would be welcomed home, and he would go down in history as the prince who ensured victory for the Fire Nation.

He’d make sure of it.

> **_To Be Continued…_**


	2. Chapter Two: The Avatar Returns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has it been over a month since I last updated this? Yes. Have I done the majority of the work in the last day and a half? Also yes. 
> 
> Hopefully this makes up for it! :3

_Water. Earth. Fire. Air._

_Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the fire nation attacked._

_Only the Avatar, master of all four elements and wielder of an incredible quirk, could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished._

_A hundred years past, and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Izuku. And although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he’s ready to save anyone._

_But I believe Izuku can save the world._

* * *

Ahead of them on the path, Izuku and Ochako could make out a group of people near the entrance to the village. Appa was snoozing peacefully in a large snowdrift as they approached the crowd. The small group of children at the front ran toward them with jubilant cries. “Yay! Izuku’s back!” Behind them, the adults stood with downturned brows and scowling lips.

“I knew it!” From the throng of people, Tenya pushed his way through to the front. His expression was nothing short of murderous. “You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare. You’re leading them straight to us, aren’t you?”

Ochako shifted to stand in front of Izuku protectively. “Izuku didn’t do anything! It was an accident.”

“Yeah!” Izuku moved beside Ochako, raising his hands imploringly. “We were on the ship and there was this booby trap that I accidentally triggered which seemed to set off the flare and…well, we boobied right into it.” Sheepishly, he stepped back a bit, rubbing the back of his head.

Gran-Gran spoke next, motioning to the people behind her. “Ochako, you should not have gone on that ship. Now we could all be in danger!”

“Don’t blame Ochako,” Izuku intervened. “I brought her there. It’s my fault.”

“Aha! The traitor confesses!” Pointing at Izuku with an accusatory glare, Tenya spoke to the children still gathered around Izuku and Ochako. “Warriors! Away from the enemy! The foreigner is banished from our village.” Slowly, with curious glances and small steps, the children returned to their parents.

“Tenya! You’re making a mistake.” Ochako bunched up her fists and looked as though she wanted to recoil, but stood her ground.

“No. I’m keeping my promise to Dad. I’m protecting you from threats like him.” Tenya argued.

“Izuku is not our enemy!” With a fiery look in her eyes, she addressed the crowd in front of her. “Can’t you see? Izuku’s brought us something we haven’t had in a long time. Fun.”

Tenya’s arms flailed about, incredulous expression still plastered on his face. “Fun?! We can’t fight firebenders with fun!”

“You should try it sometime,” Izuku quipped, a small smirk gracing his features momentarily. He composed himself as Tenya fired back.

“Get out of our village. **Now.** ”

Ochako protested again. “Grandmother, please. Don’t let Tenya do this.”

“Ochako, you knew going on that ship was forbidden. In this instance, Tenya is right. I think it best if the airbender leaves.”

“Fine!” Ochako’s breathing was heavy, her face tinted cherry pink from anger. Grabbing Izuku’s hand and ignoring his sputtering in response, she started off down the path on which they came. “Then I’m banished too.”

Tugging on Izuku’s arm a bit harder, Ochako led the pair towards Appa, who was still slumbering peacefully near the entrance to the village. From behind them, Tenya’s shrill exclamation of “Where exactly do you think you’re going?” was met with an equally short retort, “To find a waterbender. Izuku is taking me to the North Pole.”

Izuku was never really one to be tactful in high-stress situations, but he felt the need to lower the tension by blurting out, “I am? Great!”

“Ochako!” Tenya’s voice made her stop short, sending a glare over her shoulder. “Would you really choose him over your tribe? Your own family?”

Ochako hung her head ever so slightly, eyes glazed over with a swirl of emotions. She could almost feel Izuku’s sympathetic gaze and Tenya’s glower burning holes into her back, but refused to look up at either of them.

Izuku stepped forward and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. She stiffened, but either he didn’t notice, or he didn’t mention it, which she was grateful for. “Ochako. I don’t want to come between you and your family.” The overwhelming sincerity in his tone caused her to turn and look at the boy beside her. Searching for any signs of insincerity or mockery, she came up empty-handed; Izuku was being completely honest with her and sympathetic with her struggles. The tears welled almost to their breaking point in her eyes.

Izuku dropped his hand and started towards Appa only a few feet in front of them. She turned to thank him before stopping short, the full realization of what he said taking root inside her head. “Wait, so you’re… leaving the South Pole? This is goodbye?”

“Thanks for penguin sledding with me.”

“Where will you go?”

“Guess I’ll go back home and look for the airbenders.” Izuku splayed his hand across Appa’s side, absentmindedly stroking the fur underneath his palm. He stopped abruptly, a look of shock quickly replaced by a grimace. “Wow…I haven’t seen my room in a hundred years! Not looking forward to that.”

With a gust of wind that fluttered the cropped cloak around his shoulders, Izuku gracefully lifted himself to rest on top of Appa’s head, hands finding purchase on the reins around the bison’s horns. He looked down at the village. “It was nice meeting everyone.”

Tenya’s glare stayed firm on his face, but the children looked up at the bison with shocked expressions, some close to tears.

“Let’s see your bison fly now, traitor. If it even can fly,” Tenya scoffed at the boy above him.

Izuku looked at the village with drops of melancholy in his eyes, before turning his attention towards his bison. “Come on Appa, you can do it. Yip yip!” With a loud growl, the mammoth-sized animal lifted himself onto his legs, but didn’t seem to be attempting to fly at all.

“Yes. Precisely as I thought.” Tenya brandished his hand, readying himself to speak.

Suddenly, one of the young girls broke free from the crown with a wail. She came tumbling towards Ochako, small legs tripping in the piling snow as she grabbed onto the waterbender’s dress. “Izu-ku!” The tears in her eyes were overflowing, a missing tooth causing her to lisp slightly. “Please…don’t go. I’ll miss you!”

“I’ll miss you too.” Each word pained Izuku, but he knew he would only be a burden to stay any longer. He was grateful for the hospitality and kindness shown to him, and the last thing he wanted to do was overstay his welcome. His eyes couldn’t help but lock onto Ochako’s, and the pure sadness he saw almost made him retract his decision. Meeting her was one of the greatest things that has ever happened to Izuku, and he was sure it would pain him to return to life without her. But he had to stay firm, for the safety of everyone in the Southern Water Tribe. He gave himself once last look, then turned Appa away with a “Come on boy.”

Ochako watched in agony as the furry creature rumbled away. She felt like she was suffocating, the tears in her eyes burning with grief and fury. The young girl beside her started sobbing full force now, and she ran back, presumably, to her mother. Ochako felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up into the face of Gran-Gran, wrinkles set into a frown. “Ochako, you’ll feel better when you- “

“Are you happy now?” Ochako shouted, tears falling freely now. The betrayal she felt showed clearly on her face as she turned to her grandmother. “There goes my one chance of becoming a waterbender!” With a final sob, she hid her face and stomped away, wiping her eyes frustratedly.

Gran-Gran watched after her sadly, an indescribable mix of pity and empathy written in her features, as if she could see herself in the young girl.

* * *

“Alright. Ready our defenses. The Fire Nation could be on our shores at any moment now.” Tenya directed the children around the village with haste, firm hand and authoritative keeping them in line as much as he could. He rubbed the heel of his boot against the engine in his right calf, sending a testing burst of power through it. He hadn’t had to use his quirk in combat before, but with all the self-training he had undergone, he was confident in his abilities. A scuffle of small boots snapped him out of his trance. “But I gotta-”

“And no potty breaks!”

Another flame burst its way out of his engine as the boy scrambled away. He watched as his family, his friends, his tribe, rushed around to prepare for the possible attack. Right then, he made an important promise to himself. He would never let them get hurt. He would be like his father: strong, powerful, trustworthy, and successful.

He couldn’t live with himself if he failed.

* * *

The spires of ice rose high above the monotonous tundra, winds blowing intricate designs through the hardened columns. Inside a rather roomy spire, Izuku sat with his staff, knees drawn up to his chest. Below him Appa was resting peacefully, seemingly unaffected by the harsh winds and subzero temperatures. He let out a growl as Izuku continued to talk. “Yeah bud, I liked her too.” Pulling his eyes toward the horizon, he looked at the same things he laid eyes on the last 20 times he went through these motions. Ice peaks, mounds of snow, icy waters, a Fire Nation ship, snowy-

_Wait. A fire nation ship?_

With a gasp, Izuku sat up to focus his attention on the ship. Unlike the one him and Ochako had explored earlier, the ship’s smokestack was billowing clouds into the icy atmosphere, cutting a steady path through the waters. He followed the ships course with his eyes, curious as to why a Fire Navy ship would be this far away from its home, before alighting on-

“The village!” Whipping around, he slid down the ice, using the air around him to slow his fall. “Appa, wait here!” Izuku ran as fast as his legs could carry him back towards the village. The bison’s growls didn’t deter him in the slightest, especially as they became more distant.

He couldn’t live with himself if something happened to the Southern Water Tribe.

* * *

The flaps were closed o the tent, casting Tenya’s surroundings in shadowy darkness. There was enough light, however, for him to slip on his fingerless gloves, fabric wrapping his hands tightly. He had shed his heavy overcoat in favor of lighter, more covering articles. The cold wouldn’t be a deterrent if he had to fight for his life. Picking up a string, he bound the gloves to his tunic sleeves so they would stay stable and wouldn’t run the risk of slipping.

Crunchy footsteps could be heard intermittently outside of the tent. Tenya carefully removed his glasses, taking care to slip them in a small pouch to keep them clean. He turned to the bowl of black paint set on the table beside him and, dipping his fingers in, began to trace a meticulous warrior’s pattern. It had been one of the only things he was able to pick up from his father before he had left, making him careful to throw every detail into perfect light. Adjusting the knot of hair on top of his head, he stood, grabbing his boomerang and club, slotting them carefully on his back. The flame outside his tent flickered.

This was it, then.

* * *

Shouto stood perfectly still, eyes focused on a point in the distance and chin raised. Pulling his arms out to the side, he could see the men walking forward from the corner of his eyes. Carefully, so as not to anger the young man, they slotted the pieces of armor on his chest and back. Tight boots were put on his feet, laced all the way up and tucked underneath themselves. The shoulder piece went on next, coming down from over his head and tied snugly underneath his arms. The final adornment was his helmet, the red lining throwing his scar into bright relief amidst his downturned brow and scowl.

Though there were no windows in the room, Shouto could tell they were approaching their destination rapidly. The tension in the air was nearly palpable, the men around him shuffling nervously, evidently worried about displeasing him. Shooing them away with the flick of his hand, he lowered his chin and sucked in a deep breath. Today was finally the day he would capture the Avatar. After that, it was back to the Fire Nation to prove his worth to his father and gain his honor back.

This was it, then.

* * *

Tenya stood atop the tall icy walls bracketing the village, sweeping his eyes over the landscape to look for a trace of smoke, the flash of a metal hull, cracks forming in the ice. He squinted against the Sun, trying to see against the glare in his eyes.

Suddenly, a grinding, bone-rattled sound pierced through the air. Even from his perch high above, Tenya could hear the gasps and murmurs of the others. The rumbling grew, shaking the ground and making Tenya stumble back. Where his feet had just been, a chunk of the wall crumbled and fell. Small fissures began to web the barrier as the shaking persisted. With little warning, the flag tower, hastily rebuilt after Izuku’s accident, tumbled to the ground. An anguished cry sounded out of Tenya’s lips.

From below, Tenya could make out the sounds of the people crying out, and what seemed to be his name. Just as he was about to turn around, a gigantic shadow loomed over him. His feet could not move and his body seized up; it seemed even his engines stalled in terror of the giant mass approaching him. “Oh dear.”

As the shadow approached, it became clear that it was a ship. It’s size, however, was entirely unexpected: it could probably fit the entire village in its hull. The ship smashed through the ice beneath it with little care for its path. A large crack sprouted from the front of the tanker. A scream forced Tenya back into the present. One of the young girls had gotten herself stuck on the crack and was crying for help, bubbles forming around her uselessly. Immediately, Tenya could feel his engines roar to life, and he went sprinting down the wall, scooping the girl up into his arms. Handing her to Ochako, he ran back to the approaching giant and raised his club, hands shaking.

“Tenya! Get out of the way!” Ochako screamed, fearing her brother would be smashed by the hunk of metal. Abruptly, the ship came to a stop, sending part of the barricade- and Tenya- falling uselessly to the ground in a heap.

A smoking _hiss_ came from the ship as the tribe peeked their heads out of the tents. A crowd gathered to gawk and the hunk of metal now halfway situated in their village. Ochako and Tenya held their breath, as another jet of air came from the ship, Slowly, the hull detached in the front, creating a ramp leading to the ground. Smoke came from the inside, and Ochako squinted in hopes to see who- or what- was inside. _Who could it possibly be?_

Then, out of the shadows, three armored men seem to materialize. The one in the middle stepped forward, and from the intricate details on the helmet he is wearing, Ochako could tell he was the leader. The village could do nothing but stare as the men descended the walkway, others appearing from the darkness of the ship.

With no warning, Tenya activated his engines and ran with a cry towards them. Gasps could be heard from Ochako and the others. He raised his club to strike, but before he could bring his arms down, the man in front of him had kicked his foot up and around, knocking the club out of Tenya’s hands to land somewhere in the snowbank. As fast as the first kick started, he struck again the on the other side, slamming into Tenya’s ribs and knocking the boy off the ramp. The leader straightened up and continued as if nothing had occurred, eliciting another round of gasps from the group.

Once the men had made it onto the icy ground, the first man broke from the group and examined the group, looking meticulously and angrily. Ochako noticed a red ring around his left eye, though she was not sure what it could be. Was it a symbol of prestige in the Fire Nation? An injury? Her thoughts were interrupted as the man before them spoke, voice measured and demanding. “Where are you hiding him?”

Looking around and expecting a response, the man grew furious when no one spoke up. Reaching out and seizing the back of Gran-Gran’s coat roughly, he dragged her to the front of the crowd, grip tight despite her struggles. “He’d be about this age, master of all the elements?”

No one responded. He cast Gran-Gran away from his and moved to turn away from the people. But with a “hua!” his fist swept out into an arc, sending fire spewing above the heads of the people. Cries and yelps echoed from the village in fear of the flames flickering just out of reach. The man spoke again. “I know you’re hiding him!”

Tenya had somehow managed to dislodge himself from the snow while the village was being interrogated. He swept himself off and picked up his club before using his engines to propel himself toward the unknown man once more. Tenya swung again, grazing the shoulder of the soldier but sending himself careening. He rolled to a stop before sending his boomerang flying with a flick of his wrist. The man narrowly jumped back in shock as the weapon disappeared into the air, clearly not expecting such a precise attack.

“Show no fear!” Tenya glanced to his right in time to see one of the young boys toss a spear his direction. Catching it with a steady hand, he rose to his feet, engines roaring to life once more. He ran toward his opponent, stumbling slightly over the unpacked snow beneath his feet. Despite his best efforts, however, a few well-executed punches left the spear destroyed and Tenya fallen onto his back, gazing up at the man in poorly masked horror.

The warrior’s triumphant scowl was short-lived, for the boomerang that disappeared into the sky returned swiftly and make a dull thud as it knocked the man’s helmet askew.

_Bonk._

Ochako had to smother a laugh.

The man’s curled his lip in a sneer, hands lighting up in flames once more. It was clear he would show no mercy-

In a split second, the man was knocked off his feet and onto the ground, helmet clattering uselessly beside him. Surprised, everyone turned to the source. It was Izuku, riding on a penguin, sliding to a stop before them. The children cheered, the airbender was back to save them from the angry Fire Nation! Izuku dismounted the penguin, then turned to the siblings sheepishly. “Hi, Ochako. Hey, Tenya.”

“Hello, Izuku.” Tenya replied dryly, evidently perturbed to have to be saved by the airbender, but grateful nonetheless. “Thanks for coming.”

The man staggered to his feet behind them. Ochako took in his full appearance now that his helmet was off. The red around his eye she noticed earlier seemed to be a scar, darker nearer his eye and leathery by his ear. He had no hair except for a long ponytail on the bad of his head. Half of the hair was red, and the other half was white. His cheekbones were defined, and he looked to be only a few years older than Ochako herself. He raised his arms, then backed into a fighting stance. At this display, the men around him began to fan out surround Izuku.

Sensing the tension in the air, Izuku readied his staff, slipping into a crouch. He moved his weapon out in front of his body as them men drew closer, flicking his eyes from opponent to opponent. Drawn eyebrows were the only movement before he sent a burst of snow-filled air away from him on both sides, striking the staff down to push the air towards then men. Their leader was quick to recover, steam billowing off him as the snow melted harmlessly. Izuku’s eyebrows drew further in. “Looking for me?”

“ _You’re_ the airbender?” The man straightened from his crouch, disbelief showing clear. “ _You’re_ the Avatar?”

Ochako gasped. “Iz-Izuku?”

“No way.” Tenya added

This couldn’t be right. How could Izuku be the Avatar? Ochako grew up with the stories. They said the Avatar cycle was broken a hundred years ago. So if that was true…

Who was the boy standing in front of them?

* * *

“I’ve spent years preparing for this encounter. Training. Meditation. You’re just a child.” Izuku and the warrior circled around each other like cats prowling, both poised to strike at any moment.

Izuku stopped and cocked his head at that, momentarily loosing his focus. “But you’re just a teenager.”

The man- or teenager, as it would be- didn’t respond, sending an intricate burst of fire toward his opponent. Izuku managed to use his staff to blow the fire away, but the attack was clearly a surprise to the boy. The attacks continued in the same fashion: the Fire Nation boy would send fire in practiced movements, while Izuku fended them off as best as he could. An attack placed too close to the villagers left screams of fear to fill the air again. Izuku stopped, and then addressed the boy in front of him. “If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?”

Everything stood still for a moment. Izuku’s words seemed to hang in the air like a suffocating gas; no one knew who would make the next move. The Fire Nation soldier stood up, searching Izuku’s face for any sings of dishonestly or trickery.

He nodded.

Two of the men came up behind Izuku, holding his arms and escorting him brusquely towards the ship. Ochako ran forward, entreating “No, Izuku. Don’t do this!”

Looking back as much as he could, he sent her a small smile. “Don’t worry Ochako, it’ll be okay.” He opened his mouth again, seemingly searching for the right words, before settling on. “Take care of Appa for me until I get back, please.”

As the men marched back up the ramp towards the ship’s hull, Ochako could hear the leader’s voice ring out. “Head a course to the Fire Nation. I’m going home.”

A pressurized _hiss_ swelled from the ship as the ramp began to rise. Ochako searched for a last moment with Izuku, his kind and sympathetic features causing tears to run over.

As soon as the ship closed, Izuku let his smile fall. No use keeping up pretenses with the enemy.

* * *

The fire burned bright and crackled merrily in the center of the village, but the atmosphere remained cold and unforgiving. It seemed everyone’s spark had been sucked from them and been taken hostage with the airbender. Despite only being acquainted for a few hours, the hole Izuku left was keenly felt. It resembled the first few days after the men left to fight in the War. Listlessly ambling around, Ochako watched as a few of her people rebuilt the fallen watchtower, while some pitched fallen tents and other worked to fix the crack in the ground.

Eventually, she found herself standing and looking over the horizon, her brother bustling around behind her. “We have to go after that ship, Tenya. Deku saved our tribe, now we have to save him.”

“Really, Katara, Deku? You’ve known the boy for only a few days. Also, I don’t think…”

“Why can’t you realize he’s on our side? If we don’t help him, no one will! I know you don’t like Deku all that much, but-”

“Ochako!” She whipped around to face her brother, prepared for another argument, only to gesture to a canoe floating in the water next to them. “Do you insist on talking all day, or are you coming with me?”

Her eyes brightened. “Tenya!” She ran toward him and enveloped him into a tight squeeze until he had to pry her off gently.

“Get in. We’re going to save your boyfriend.”

“Tenya! He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Whatever you say.” Tenya chuckled lightly, then gestured toward the boat with his hand again.

“What do you two think you’re doing?” Whipping around, the siblings were faced with none other than their grandmother, a stern look on her face. Lowering their heads in shame, Tenya managed a smile that looked more like a grimace than anything. Nervously waiting for a scolding, they were entirely unprepared for her next words.

“You’ll need these.” She held up two bedrolls, neatly tucked and tied with string. “You have a long journey ahead of you.”

Giving the rolls to Tenya, she turned to Ochako, pride shining in her eyes. “It’s been so long since I’ve had hope. But you brought it back to life, my little waterbender.” The two embraced, love and gratefulness shared freely between the two. Gran-Gran pulled back to glance over Ochako once more.

She glanced to the side, where Tenya had already set the bedrolls in the canoe and returned to his place, blinking nervously. “And you, my brave warrior. Be nice to your sister.” Tenya was caught up in a hug himself, smiling sheepishly before assenting heartily.

“Izuku is the Avatar. He’s the world’s only chance. You both found him for a reason. Now your destinies are intertwined with his.”

Ochako looked at Tenya, then behind her at their small boat. “There’s no way we’re gonna catch a warship with a canoe.”

Then, from over the hill, Appa came clambering with a snarl and a yawn. Ochako brightened before running towards the bison. “Appa!”

Tenya grimaced. “You just love taking me out of my comfort zone, don’t you?”

He sighed, before following behind Ochako. The trip was going to be interesting, if anything.

* * *

  
  


A group of men were on the deck of the dark ship, noticeable like a sore thumb in the bright white landscape. Izuku watched, hands bound, as the young man who seemed to be the leader inspected his staff. “This will make an excellent gift for my father.”

Besides Izuku and the boy, there were four or five other guards and ship hands above deck, along with a greying man he hadn’t seen during the confrontation. The man-Scar-Face, as Izuku decided to name him- hit the staff lightly, wood making a hollow sound against the metal floor. “I suppose you wouldn’t know of fathers, being raised by monks.” Izuku sent his most venomous glare towards Scar-Face, acutely aware that it would be almost laughable in the present company. Still, he set his eyebrows low and made firm eye contact until the teen spoke again. “Take the Avatar to the prison hold.” Strong arms forced Izuku back away from Scar-Face.

The young man turned to one of his soldiers. “Take this to my quarters, if you would.” He promptly walked through a door near the group, leaving the old man to stare after him, then reluctantly follow.

Izuku could do nothing more as he was whisked away by two guards, descending a long set of stairs into the ship’s hold.

* * *

“So…” Izuku spoke into the deafening silence, words amplified by the barren metal walls all around them. “I guess you’ve never fought an airbender before. I bet I could take you both, with my hands tied behind my back.”

He was only met with a gruff “Silence.” as the trio continued down the corridor. They halted at a door, the man in front pulling a key from his pocket. Izuku quickly assessed the situation, and after taking an impossibly deep breath, sent himself flying back with a gust of air, taking the man behind him along. The pressure caused the first guard to fall forward into the door, key clanging out of his hands.

Cushioning his landing with the man’s body, Izuku used his air currents to push himself up and out of the hold, running swiftly across the deck. Jumping, he used his momentum to spin and kick out in front of him, an elevated gust of wind forcing open the door that Scar-Face had disappeared into earlier. Panting, he rushed through nicer corridors, trying to put as much distance between him and the guards as possible.

Faintly, he heard someone shout, “The Avatar has escaped!” and doubled his efforts, skidding around a corner. It was only a matter of time before he was caught, but he had to try his best.

* * *

Appa glided across the water smoothly as Tenya spoke, a disinterested air emanating from him. “Go. Fly. Soar.”

Katara glanced down at the bison, reins gripped tightly in her hands. “Please, Appa. We need your help. Deku, er, Izuku needs your help.”

“Up. Ascend. Elevate.”

She sighed. “Tenya clearly doesn’t believe you can fly. But I do, Appa!” Reaching over, she rubbed her gloved hand over the arrow atop Appa’s head, pressing her cheek into the soft fur. “Come on, don’t you want to save Izuku?”

Appa grunted.

“What was it the boy said?” Tenya crossed his arms and straightened his posture, wary of getting too comfortable in any position. “Yee-Haw? Hup-Hup? Yahoo? Uh… Yip Yip?”

Suddenly, Appa began to rumble, Tenya scrambling to find something to hold onto. His tail flapped, and with no other preamble, the bison rose into the sky smoothly. The siblings found themselves soaring high above the ice caps, icy waters forgotten below them as Appa gained height.

“You did it Tenya!” Ochako cried with glee.

“He’s flying…he’s flying! Ochako, he-“ Tenya was cut off as he saw the smug grin Ochako harbored. Dropping his excited arm movements, his lips set into a pout, sitting back down on the saddle. “I meant to say: he’s flying. How incredible.”

The ground steadily slipped away below them, the wind rushing through their ears as Appa sped up.

Next stop, Izuku.

* * *

Turing a corner sharply, Izuku glanced behind him to make sure he wasn’t being followed, tugging on his restraints. He turned forward again to be cut of with a yell: three soldiers stood in his path, stances heavy and swords drawn. He opted to ask his burning question. “You haven’t seen my staff around, have you?”

In lieu of a response, the men started to advance further. Pushing himself forward, he ran deftly up the way, spiraling up to the ceiling and over the guards’ heads in a split second. The soldiers were taken aback, making Izuku’s escape easier than he had hoped. He shot a “Thanks anyway!” towards the men, a circular path of dust left in his wake.

Lifting himself through the ceiling, Izuku found himself face to face with another soldier who was more prepared than his previous counterparts. As soon as he spotted the airbender, he sent a jet of fire shooting from his palm. Just in time, Izuku jumped far over the jet, glancing back to see scorch marks on the floor where he had crouched second earlier. Not wasting any more time, Izuku vaulted over the man’s head, using the points of his helmet to slice the ropes from his wrists. He sped on, making no recognition of the man now sprawled on the floor.

Room after room he peeked in, desperate for a glance of his staff. He continued to come up empty. Poking his head into the last door in the hall, he stumbled upon the old man who had been on the deck earlier, slumbering peacefully on a comfortable-looking couch. Izuku slowly closed the door, eyes wide. “Sorry.”

At last, coming upon a room secluded from the others, its door ajar, Izuku spotted his staff. Rushing inside the red-tinted room, he exclaimed “My staff!”

Before he could get any further, the door clanged shut with a resounding _clang_. Behind Izuku was Scar-Face, expression a strange mix of furious and triumph. His head tilted down as he spoke. “Looks like I underestimated you.”

Slipping into a fighting stance, he gave Izuku no time to react before flames shot out of his fists, controlled and precise. The heat of them licked Izuku’s face as he stepped away from the blasts, backing himself into a corner. He panted heavily as he rolled out of the way, blasts never stopping from his opponent. Izuku managed to stand up behind Scar-Face, using his airbending to mitigate the effects of the fire as the man’s attacks became less precise, his yells echoing throughout the room.

Heaving himself up and using a burst of air to heed to his body, Izuku jumped away from the firebender and toward the wall, where a tapestry hung. Grabbing it with both hands and tugging, Izuku unseated the tapestry and flipped in the air. Within the blink of an eye, he had wrapped the fabric around Scar-Face, using the bar on the to squeeze the hanging tighter. The man struggled loudly; arms now bound to his sides.

In the meantime, Izuku lunged for his staff, tucking it safely under his arms. By the time he had turned around, Scar-Face had burnt the tapestry to a crisp, pushing the remaining stands off his shoulders with an almost wicked grin.

Izuku had his staff now, however, so with a mighty flourish, he shoved the firebender against the wall, then the ceiling.

By the time he had sat up, the airbender was gone.

* * *

Peeking over the top of the ladder, Izuku realized with a start he had made it to the top of the ship, where the navigation deck was, a large window stretched out in front of him. There was only one soldier in the room, but strangely he made no move as Izuku ran out the door onto the open front of the ship. Flinging his staff out, the wings popped out of it, and he jumped off the railing surrounding the ship. He had managed to escape! Now he just had to return to Ochako and Tenya, so he could-

Pain shot through Izuku’s ankle, breath knocked out of him and fear zinging through his veins. Looking down, he was met with the scowl of Scar-Face. The extra weight threw Izuku’s glider out of balance as he struggled to keep himself airborne. The two clashed to the floor of the ship bodily, glider skidding away uselessly.

Izuku struggled to his feet, grabbing his staff and reverting it to its original state. He didn’t want to have another confrontation with Scar-Face, especially when he was so tired, but it looked like he had no choice.

A loud growl echoed off the icecaps around them. Looking up, Izuku made out the silhouette of something…flying? With something on its back?

It was Appa and, by the looks of it, Ochako and Tenya, trailing the ship from the air.

Scar-Face voiced his confusion. “What is that?”

“Appa!”

Izuku’s joy was short-lived, however, as Scar-Face wasted no time delivering another scathing blow. Twirling his staff, he was able to stop the attacks from doing any damage. A particularly powerful burst of fire sent the staff flying, Izuku stumbling to avoid being burnt. Jumping on the railing on the side of the boat, he struggled to keep his balance while still dodging fire. But he was too late.

With another attack, Izuku was sent falling over the edge. His body dropped into the waters below, heavy as a rock.

Watching the encounter from above, Ochako and Tenya looked on in horror as the airbender fell. “Izuku, no!”

The water was cold and quiet. Bubbles surrounded Izuku’s body as he sunk lower. An echoing ran through Izuku’s head. It was Ochako, calling his name. “Deku, Deku! Izuku!”

The arrows on his body were suddenly illuminated, and his eyes glowed bright when he opened them. Turning his body rapidly, Izuku created a channel of water, harnessing the air in the ocean to propel himself towards the surface. The boy emerged in a funnel of water, rising high above the ship in front of him. Twisting the water to his will, the airbender landed safely on the ship’s deck, occupants looking on in horror. Without preamble, Izuku formed a ring around himself, sending it bursting like shockwaves from an epicenter. All the Fire Nation soldiers were sent sprawling, and Scar-Face was knocked over the side of the ship, screaming in fear.

Above the scene, Ochako gaped. “Did you see what he just did?”

Even Tenya seemed taken aback by the show of power. “Now _that_ was some waterbending.”

Izuku’s legs gave out, and, threats eliminated, slumped to the ground unconscious. His arrows returned to their normal color and his eyes ceased to glow.

Landing Appa on the deck of the ship, Ochako and Tenya were quick to rush towards the airbender. By the time they reached him, Izuku was sitting up, rubbing at his neck. “Hey Ochako. Hey, Tenya. Thanks for coming.”

  
“Well, I couldn’t let you have all the glory,” Tenya quipped.

“I dropped my staff.”

Tenya rushed over to find his fighting weapon. “Got it!” He picked it up but was suddenly yanked back towards the ground. Looking down, Tenya was met with the furious face of the man who had originally infiltrated their tribe, trying to pull himself up into the ship.

Tenya shoved the staff into his head, loosening the man’s grasp. With an exasperated cry, he fell again, only barely managing to hold onto the anchor latched on the side of the boat. Scoffing triumphantly, Tenya couldn’t resist adding salt to the wound. “And that was from the water tribe!”

Meanwhile, Ochako was helping Izuku rise from the wet ground and mount Appa, using his horns to step up. Safety was not as close as it seemed, for the men previously wiped out by Izuku’s water attack were rising to their feet, weapons in hand. Ochako stepped forward, raising a bit of water from the puddles around her. Throwing it their direction, Ochako only managed to fling it backwards, makeshift weapon disappearing and hitting Tenya, if his disgruntled “Ochako!” was anything to go by.

The men stepped forward, spears glinting in the sunlight. An idea popped into Ochako’s head, and she raised more water from the floor before turning it around and trying the same attack she had previously. This time, she used her quirk to gather more water, and it froze on the mens’ bodies, effectively rendering them unable to fight.

Ochako scrambled to climb onto Appa, sending a “Hurry up, Tenya!” behind her shoulder.

“I’m just a guy with a boomerang and an underdeveloped quirk. I didn’t ask for all this flying and magic!” He ran up Appa’s tail, and frantically yelled, “Yip yip, yip yip!”

Slowly, Appa rose from the deck, rapidly raising higher. Peeking over the side, Tenya saw a man emerge from the inside of the ship, crimson wings tucked along his back. As they flew, he heard the man call, “Prince Shouto? Where are you?” _He must be calling for the leader. His name is Shouto?_

The prince in question had managed to claw his way back on the ship, and shouted to his soldiers, “Shoot them down! Don’t let then get away!” The man with the wings ran towards Prince Shouto, and together they sent a huge wave a fire up at the bison and his passengers.

Wielding his staff, Izuku, hopped onto Appa’s head, sizing up the blast of fire with a weary eye. Straining, Izuku made a barrier of air that sent the ball of fire, in impact, slamming into the nearest wall of ice. Chunks of the ice began to break off and tumble into the water below.

Victorious, Izuku, Ochako, and Tenya raised a triumphant cheer. Below them, the Fire Nation ship was half-buried in a mound of ice chunks, leaving it immovable.

* * *

“Good news for the Fire Lord! The Fire Nation’s greatest threat is just a little kid.” Hawks got to his feet, wings fluttering with the slight breeze as he dusted off his shoulder.

Shouto faced Hawks, face an unreadable mix of stoicism. “That kid, Uncle, just did this. I won’t underestimate him again.”

“Dig the ship out and follow them!” Shouto turned, facing his crew only to find that half of them were still frozen on the deck. The other half took torches to the ice, trying to free their fellow men. “…as soon as you’re done with that.”

Next time, Shouto vowed, the Avatar wouldn’t slip from his grasp.

* * *

“How did you do that?? With the water! It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen!” Ochako was seated, legs crossed, on the middle of Appa’s saddle. Tenya reclined behind her, and Izuku sat on the edge of the saddle, staff gripped between his palms.

“I don’t know. I just…sort of…did it.”

“Why didn’t you tell us you were the Avatar?”

Izuku turned toward Ochako, regret in his eyes. “Because…I never wanted to be.” He turned his head out to look over the sky, cloud turned a deep orange as the Sun was setting.

Appa glided along peacefully.

“But Deku,” Ochako pressed.

Izuku interrupted. “Why do you keep calling me Deku?”

“Oh, uh…well,” Ochako blushed crimson as Tenya muffled an amused snort into his palm. “I won’t do it if you don’t like it, but when I first met you, I thought that’s what you said your name was. I thought it was a cute nickname.”

“Oh, u-uh alright, if you want to.” Izuku turned further away from the siblings. Whether it was from embarrassment or uninterest Ochako wasn’t sure. She continued.

“The world’s been waiting for the Avatar to return and finally put an end to this war.”

“And how am I going to do that?”

Tenya interjected. “According to the legends, you first must master water, then earth, then fire. That’s what I’ve read, at least.”

“That is what the monks told me.”

“Well,” Ochako proposed with a small smile, “If we go to the North Pole, you can master waterbending!”

Izuku seemed to perk up, and finally turned his face back to them. “We can learn it together!”

Then Ochako turned to her brother. “And Tenya, I’m sure you’ll get to knock some firebender heads o the way.”

He nodded. “I’d like that.” And, after a pause, he lowered his voice, smile dancing across his features. “I’d really like that.”

“Then we’re in this together!”

“Alright.” Izuku conceded. “But before I learn waterbending, we have some serious business to attend to. Pulling a scroll from somewhere behind him- a pocket, maybe? - he kneeled on Appa’s saddle and spread it out before him. “Here, here, and here.”

He had pointed to three different locations, two in the Earth kingdom, and one on an island in the East.

“What’s at those places?”

“Here,” he motioned towards a landlocked city marked with an X, “We’ll ride the hopping llamas.”

Ochako and Tenya shared a incredulous glance. “And way over here, we’ll ride on the back of giant koi fish. Then back over here, we’ll ride the hog-monkeys. They don’t like people riding them. But that’s what makes it fun!” Izuku eyes gleamed with excitement, growing more as he described each place. Tenya’s eyebrows drew lower at each description, skepticism overtaking his features. 

The trio flew on as the sky was splashed with brilliant hues of color. Everything, even if just for now, was good. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! 
> 
> A note about quirks: I really haven't done too much research on the topic of quirks, so I'm not really an expert on the logistics of it. I just thought it'd be interesting to add an element (hehe) that wasn't in the original series that I could toy with myself. If you guys have any suggestions on how to make them sound more realistic, I'd love to hear it!
> 
> Again, thanks so much for reading!! Feel free to leave a comment saying what you liked/think I could improve on, bookmark the work or the series to see when I update (hopefully less than six week from now), or leave kudos. I hope you guys enjoyed!
> 
> And be on the lookout for new fics/series coming your way, I've got a lot of ideas bouncing around in my brain and hopefully a break soon to write them out ;w;


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